Community Participation Stream program guidelines

This grant opportunity is open, non-competitive. The program’s non-competitive process means applicants will be assessed on their individual merit against the assessment criteria and will not be compared to other applications.

The intended recipients of grants are community-focused organisations seeking to deliver small-to-medium sized projects that increase participation in community activities.

The total available funding amount for this stream is $25 million.

The minimum grant amount is $100,000 and the maximum grant amount is $1 million (GST exclusive).

Eligible applicants can submit a maximum of 1 application per stream.
 

Projects must commence within 6 months of the commencement date of the funding deed and be completed within 4 years from the commencement date of the funding deed.

These timeframes are subject to the terms and conditions of an executed funding deed.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (the department) is the source agency administering the program. The program is funded by the Regional Development Trust Fund.

Eligible applicants must make a financial contribution towards the project of at least 20% of the total project cost. Exemptions can be considered.

Funding will only be provided for a purpose that is consistent with one or more objects of the Act to:

1. promote economic and employment growth in regions in accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development
2. support sustainable economies, a healthy environment and resilient communities in regions
3. support place-based solutions, targeted to the development problems of particular locations and developed in collaboration with the local community, that promote improved economic, environmental and social outcomes in regions
4. assist communities in regions to capitalise on regional strengths by supporting the diversification, adaptation and resilience of regional economies, including in relation to established and emerging primary and other industries
5. support the transition of communities affected by economic, environmental and social change
6. facilitate the economic and social development of Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal enterprises in regions
7. encourage cooperation in relation to the matters in paragraphs (a)–(f) among all tiers of government, including local government, the private sector and not-for-profit organisations.  

Eligible applicants are:

• incorporated not-for-profit organisations
• incorporated Aboriginal community organisations (i.e. initiated by, controlled and operated by Aboriginal people and/or governed by a board or committee of Aboriginal people)
• Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• Lord Howe Island Board
• Unincorporated Far West groups
• Local government
• Section 355 committees of a local council.

Eligible applicants must:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be located in NSW
• provide appropriate evidence of not-for-profit and incorporation status
• be financially viable and able to demonstrate they are financially viable by providing the most recent 3 years of financial statements
• hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $20 million per occurrence prior to executing a funding deed with the department
• be a fit and proper person/legal entity
• not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings
• declare in the application form that the applicant is not aware of any issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government.

If an applicant’s circumstances in relation to the above eligibility criteria change, the applicant should provide updated information by contacting the department via email at regionaldevelopmenttrust@dpird.nsw.gov.au. 

Ineligible applicants include:

• individuals
• sole traders
• unincorporated associations
• for profit and commercial organisations
• Australian or NSW Government agencies, state owned corporations, or statutory authorities.

Eligible projects that can be supported by a Community Participation grant will increase participation in the type of community activities that contribute to the wellbeing, social or economic participation of residents, to achieve the program objective at 1.3. and can include:

• new and improved infrastructure and/or activation of under-used assets
• new or expanded services or programs, that increase access to, or improve the diversity of community activities and cohorts that can participate
• addressing barriers to participation, improving the amenity of activities with facilities, childcare (creche), increased safety, supervision and/or transport.

Projects must be able to meet the project delivery timeframe listed in the Key Information.

The following are examples of projects which may be funded under the program and are listed as guidance only:

• upgrade a sports ground to meet regional level competition, increase safety and availability (e.g. lighting, facilities) or enable use by multiple sports
• safe transport (e.g. bus purchase and operation, driver and supervision for children) for residents/participants to access community activities (e.g. employment skills/wellbeing/ youth programs, sport, community programs or cultural events), including after hours.
• fit for purpose facilities and staff for community activities that increase the number of people and/or cohorts that benefit, such as wellbeing or job readiness activities with casual childcare/creche.

A project is not eligible for funding if: 

• the application does not meet the compliance, eligibility and project feasibility criteria or does not include information required to assess these criteria
• the applicant has received funding from the NSW, Australian Government or another source for any part of the project scope that duplicates deliverables to be funded by this program
• it has more than 50% of the funding request allocated to ineligible project costs
• it is for planning purposes only or costs are exclusively for marketing, branding, advertising or product promotion including tourism marketing
• it requires ongoing funding from the NSW Government. A plan for the closure, or continuation of the activities with alternative funding, at the end of the grant period once the grant is expended will be required as evidence
• it would be considered business-as-usual activities and operations  
• it is solely for the maintenance of any infrastructure i.e. painting or beautification repairs without upgrading the functionality or amenity of the infrastructure.
• it provides direct commercial and/or exclusive private benefit to an individual or business.

To be eligible, projects must be located within one of the 95 regional NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Unincorporated Far West region or on Lord Howe Island. (refer to Appendix A for a detailed list of eligible locations).

Projects located in the Sydney metropolitan area are ineligible.

If the applicant is not the owner of the land (or infrastructure) where the project will be located, landowner’s consent and/or access agreements will be required as part of the application.

The following types of project costs are eligible for funding:

• are within the minimum and maximum funding amount for a grant under the program
• engagement of temporary staff, programs or service providers to deliver activities or programs that contribute to the program objective
• the purchase of non-fixed assets (e.g vehicles) and equipment that relate to the participation in the community activities, services or programs
• construction costs for infrastructure development, expansion or upgrades that relate to the program objective and would not be considered business-as-usual activities, responsibilities or operations
• includes less than 20% of the total grant for contingency
• includes less than 10% of the total grant for project management and administration.

Applicants should contact the department on regionaldevelopmenttrust@dpird.nsw.gov.au with any questions regarding the eligibility of certain costs prior to submitting an application. 

The following are examples of project costs that are ineligible for funding:

• financing costs, including interest and debt financing, costs such as rent and utilities unless specifically related to the project
• insurance costs (applicants must hold and maintain adequate insurance coverage for any liability arising from their participation in funded activities)
• depreciation of plant and equipment beyond the life of the project
• purchase of land or buildings
• staff training costs not directly related to the project
• costs that are not essential to the success of the project
• cost of projects or activities already funded or costs related to business-as-usual activities and operations for state or local government
• any costs for works or improvements that are not directly related to delivering the project
• retrospective funding to cover any project component that is already purchased and/or complete prior to the Department receiving a signed Letter of Offer and Confidentiality Agreement, however the NSW Government makes no binding financial commitment until both parties sign a funding deed. 

Eligible applicants must make a financial contribution towards the project of at least 20% of the total project cost.

Financial contributions from other grants received (secured) from the Australian Government can be included in the co-contribution. However, grants from the NSW Government cannot be included in the minimum co-contribution amount required.

Exemptions from a co-contribution

Requests for an exemption from part, or all, of the 20% financial co-contribution requirement may be considered, related to circumstances such as, but are not limited to, impacts from natural disasters and major weather events, recent investment in infrastructure and/or equipment that is related to the project proposed within the funding application, other financial circumstances.

Applicants wishing to apply for an exemption will be required to provide details of their request as part of the application process and identify in-kind contributions (see below for details on in-kind contributions) that may help to cover some or all of the value of the exemption being requested. Exemption requests will be considered at the discretion of the department.

In-kind contributions

In-kind contributions may be included as part of an exemption request. In-kind contributions include donated materials, applicant-owned equipment or direct internal staff time to deliver the project.

Applicants must provide itemised details of any in-kind contributions in their application, including:

• the value of an in-kind contribution, for example $1,400 project management cost
• a short description of the in-kind contribution and how it has been calculated, for example 20 hours of project manager wages at $70 per hour.

In-kind contributions must be eligible costs. Applicants with approved in-kind contributions will be required to report on and acquit these expenses during project delivery.

As part of the assessment process, the department will consider whether the project, the applicant and its representatives and any partner organisations pose a reputational or other risk to the NSW Government. Projects and/or applicants found to be unsuitable due to reputational or other risks will be ineligible for funding.

Applicants must submit their applications and supporting documents through the program’s online application portal on Smarty Grants.

Applicants must submit their applications by the closing date and time outlined in the Key Information section of these program guidelines.

The department retains discretion to extend the closing date and time, and to accept late applications in extenuating circumstances.

Applicants cannot reopen or amend applications after the closing date and time.

Each application must include the documents or application sections listed in the Application Form which includes the following:

• a clear project scope and description of activities
• a detailed project budget based on quotes or detailed estimates, reasonable assumptions or previous experience with similar projects
• a project management plan (template provided) demonstrating the project will be successfully completed in the required timeframe
• a risk management plan demonstrating an understanding of the project’s risks and strategies to manage or mitigate the risks
• landowner’s consent using the template provided (if required)
• evidence of public liability insurance
• evidence of co-contribution or evidence to support an exemption.
• evidence of need (letters, data, community consultation)
• evidence of support for the project (through partner/stakeholder letters, community backing, co-delivery commitments
• Development Application approval (and other necessary approvals) OR evidence that applicant has started the process to gain approval.

Applicants must not include false or misleading information in their applications. If an application contains false or misleading information, the department may deal with the application as the department determines in the circumstances.

The program is funded by the Regional Development Trust Fund which is established by the Regional Development Act 2004. Grants of financial assistance, such as under grant programs, are made available under this legislation which notes that furnishing of false or misleading information in connection with an application or a false or misleading application is an offence under Part 5A of the Crimes Act 1900. The maximum penalty for such an offence is 2 years imprisonment or 200 penalty units, or both.

Applicants will receive a notification of receipt from SmartyGrants.

The department may contact applicants to verify information or seek further information. 

Applicants can get support to prepare their applications:

The department will assess all submitted applications against the compliance and eligibility criteria identified in these guidelines.

Non-compliant or ineligible applications will not be considered for further assessment.

The department will then assess all compliant and eligible applications against the feasibility criteria identified in these guidelines.

An assessment panel will consider and determine the assessment outcomes for each application.

The assessment panel will take into consideration any personal, business and/or probity issues and risks that could cause reputational or other risk to the NSW Government.

The assessment panel may recommend a lesser amount of funding for an application or defer a recommendation pending further information. The assessment panel may also recommend specific funding conditions, where appropriate.

The assessment team may consider principles including, for example:

• the total amount of funding available
• geographical distribution of projects across regional NSW
• funding a variety of projects in size, scale and type
• suitability of a project for other government funding opportunities
• alignment of the project with other NSW Government policies and strategies
• issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government.

The department will send successful applicants a letter of conditional offer.

Successful applicants may be required to sign confidentiality undertakings, promising to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the NSW Government makes a public announcement.

Successful applicants will be required to sign funding deeds with the department.

The department will notify unsuccessful applicants in writing of the outcome of their applications.

The department will offer unsuccessful applicants a feedback information session.

There is no appeal mechanism from the decision-maker’s decisions.

The NSW Government may announce the outcome of funding applications at its discretion. 

Key information about the grants awarded will be published on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder, in accordance with the requirements of the Grants Administration Guide.

This information, plus information submitted in applications and related correspondence, may be open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information. Information that is commercially sensitive may be withheld.

The NSW Government may use information submitted in applications and in funding deeds for promotional material and to develop case studies.

A sample funding deed is available. The department has discretion to amend and update this sample funding deed.

The department will tailor the template funding deed for each project to include the grant instalment amounts, activities, deliverables, timeframes and any special conditions.

Terms and conditions

The funding deed will set out the grant recipient’s obligations including, for example, to: 

• include child safety clauses in the funding deed for projects that may include contact with children
• meet activity timeframes and deliver the project on time
• notify the department of any delays
• be responsible for project cost overruns
• repay grant funds which are not spent in accordance with the funding deed
• repay unspent grant funds
• submit progress reports
• meet monitoring and acquittal requirements
• maintain insurances
• acknowledge the grant as per the Funding Acknowledgement guidelines for Recipients of NSW Government Grants
• provide data
• participate in program evaluation and audits including to determine the extent to which the project has contributed to the program objectives
• keep records for seven years
• advise the department of any changes to the grant recipient’s legal status.

The funding deed will include the department’s termination rights, including if the grant recipient has engaged in conduct that might cause reputational damage to the NSW Government or has provided misleading information in its application.

Changes to projects

After funding deeds are executed, the department may consider requests for variations to projects only in limited circumstances. 

Instalments

The department will pay grants in instalments.

The funding deed will set out the instalment amounts and what the grant recipient needs to do receive each instalment (eg. complete specified activities and provide evidence of completion and reports within a timeframe).

Tax

Grants are GST exclusive. If a grant recipient is registered for GST, GST will be applied on top of the grant value when payment is made.

Grants are assessable income for taxation purposes, unless exempted by taxation law. Grant recipients should seek independent professional advice about taxation obligations or seek assistance from the Australian Taxation Office. The NSW Government does not provide advice on individual taxation circumstances. 

If a grant recipient’s project is completed and there are unspent funds remaining from the grant allocation, the department may require the grant recipient to return the unspent funds.

Alternatively, the grant recipient may request to use the unspent funds on extending the scope of the project if the request aligns with the objectives of the program and the grant recipient provides supporting information to the department. The department is under no obligation to agree with the request. 

The department will monitor how grant recipients are spending their grants and how their projects are progressing.

Grant recipients will be required to submit regular progress reports, final reports and other information to the department as outlined in the funding deed.

Grant recipients will be required to inform the department if their circumstances change. 

The department will monitor the funded projects against the purpose and objectives of the program.

Grant recipients will be required to participate in evaluation, such as surveys, provision of data and reporting.

If applicants have any concerns about the program or individual applications, please contact the department in writing using the contact information in these guidelines.

If applicants do not agree with the way the department handled an issue, applicants may contact the NSW Ombudsman.

The NSW Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order.  The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.

Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.

If applicants require further information about the GIPA Act and/or Standing Order 52, please contact the department using the contact information in these guidelines.

Applicants (and their officers and staff) must declare any perceived, potential or real conflicts of interest in respect of the grant opportunity. They must declare such conflicts on the application form.

Where there is a conflict of interest detrimental to the grant opportunity, applicants must put mitigation measures in place. The department may require individuals not to participate in the application or delivery stage.

All applicants (successful and unsuccessful) must keep the outcome of the grant opportunity confidential until the NSW Government makes a public announcement. 

Applicants must not participate in any anti-competitive conduct.

Applicants must not offer any gifts, benefits or hospitality to any NSW Government employee at any time. Any inducement in contravention of this condition may result in an applicant’s application not being considered.

The NSW Government may, in its absolute discretion, and without limiting any other rights which it may have, do all or any of the following at any time without giving notice or reasons:

• require additional information from an applicant
• change any of the requirements of these guidelines
• alter or vary any process, procedure or timing related to the grant
• suspend or terminate the grant opportunity
• negotiate with one or more preferred applicants without prior notice to any other applicant
• terminate any negotiations being conducted with any applicant
• readvertise for new applicants
• consider any non-conforming application
• terminate an applicant’s further participation in the grant opportunity for any reason (including if the department considers that an application contains false or misleading statements or may damage the reputation of the department or the program)
• not proceed to execute any funding deed.

Where significant changes are made in relation to the grant opportunity, the department will revise these guidelines and make them available on this web page.

The department may issue an addendum to these guidelines. The addendum becomes part of these guidelines.

The department will publish these guidelines and any revised versions and addenda on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder.

These guidelines are not an offer, recommendation or invitation by the department in respect of any grant.  There is no funding commitment until both a successful applicant and the department execute a funding deed.